Playing With Fire
by Spoocial Slim
Summary: Treebeard and his friends, Merry and Pippin, meet a fire spirit.


Playing With Fire  
  
Fangorn gazed at the surrounding forest from a rocky outlook high above. Each oak, ash and birch swayed gently in the cool breeze, the sun occasionally sending strands of light between passing clouds to strike the forest floor, giving it a mystical feel entwined with dazzling majesty. Ravens and crows floated on the breeze, whilst robins made their nests and falcons waited silently in the trees, watching for brave rodents daring to leave their homes.  
Fangorn smiled, thinking about the beauty that Frodo and his gardener Sam had saved. It was a miracle that they had defeated such an overwhelming evil and Fangorn knew it would be told in many Entish tales for many generations to come. The ancient Ents; Tree Herders; Sheperds of the Forests had much to thank the little folk for.  
As Fangorn looked about, remembering the ghastly events of that first age something caught his eye. An unusual grey cloud was rising from the treetops. Smoke. There was smoke to the south.  
A look of concern crossed Fangorn's knotted brow and he began to climb downhill towards the source of the smoke.. Worry flooded his mind and he was filled with concern as he began to fear the worst. Horrid images of Ents writhing in agony, tortured by flames, burst into his head and he had to fight to push the violence from his mind, so that he could concentrate on what was going on.  
After seven giant steps, Fangorn had reached the bottom of the hill and began his hasty trek towards the source of danger and increasing smoke. Speed was not a strong point for Ents such as Fangorn yet his massive stride and the increasing urgency of the situation meant he arrived fairly quickly. Within three minutes he had reached the source and there he stood, fixed in position, as he watched the actions take place in amazement.  
A raging fire roared, out of control, beyond a circle of stones showing the outline of a campfire circle. Two hobbits nearby had seemingly been located next the fire however now they danced madly about, making panicky attempts to quench the raging flames. Acrid smoke billowed in the sky and when the breeze brought the scent to Fangorn he identified another smell mixed in though not nearly as strong. The smell puzzled Fangorn for a brief moment before a memory of his previous time with the hobbits gave identity to it. It was bacon. The hobbits had been in the middle of breakfast.  
Despite the humour of the situation Fangorn realised he had to something before things got out hand. He noticed that the first step would be to calm the hobbits, so he called out to them to stop their mad dance.  
'Meriadoc! Peregrin! Cease what you are doing, quickly!' Fangorn's voice boomed out across the clearing and both Merry and Pippin stopped suddenly and turned to face him.  
'Treebeard?' Pippin asked in his thick Scottish accent, shocked. Merry on the other hand wasted no time in wondering where their ancient Ent friend had come from. He rushed to Fangorn, clearly distressed by the rapidly increasing blaze.  
'What do we do, Treebeard?' I don't know how it happened! We were just sitting down to second breakfast and suddenly the fire began to get bigger. we couldn't stop it! We still can't stop it!'  
Fangorn, feeling more confident with each mention of his Elvish name, was about to offer words of comfort when he was interrupted by a harsh hiss from the fire. Then, much to the astonishment of the three, a gravelly, wry voice filled their ears.  
'Of coursssse you can't ssssstop meeeee,' it hissed, 'no one cannnn. I am immortal. unquenchable.'  
Fangorn saw fear cross the faces of his two companions and though he felt that same fear himself his expression never changed. He simply turned towards the fire and watched, his gnarled face expressionless, as a face began to appear in the midst of the fire.  
'Who are you?' Pippin asked, his voice shaking. The face in the fire laughed menacingly.  
'I am the Essence of Fire. The Ruler of Flames. Smoke Weaver. You may address me as any of these, for I, my young friend, am a Fire Spirit.'  
The spirit's voice was slow and well pronounced; each word drawn out so that it may have a greater effect. His expressions flickered with the flames, always changing yet never losing its menacing confidence.  
Fangorn had heard tales of Fire Spirits. They were protectors of fire and heat but were known to bring mischief to unprepared travellers. Ancient tales claimed that the only way to be rid of a Fire Spirit was to beat it at a battle with words. A logical puzzle. Fangorn had to stall while he thought of one.  
'What brings you to this part of my humble forest, spirit? Can we not settle this matter over a strong Ent draught?'  
The spirit laughed again. 'There is no matter to be settled, oh mighty one. I merely wish to play a game with you and your friends.'  
Pippin misunderstood the spirit's intentions and was instantly cheered. 'A game? That doesn't sound so bad! I'm good at games, aren't I, Merry?' He turned to the other hobbit for reassurance. Merry just shook his head at Pippin's naivety. 'Not that sort of game, Pippin.' He watched the expression on the younger hobbit's face fall. The spirit ignored them both; he focused intently on Fangorn.  
'Tell me, Ent, do you know of the Riddle Game?'  
Fangorn gave no answer. He knew the game well from the tales of Bilbo's journey and the finding of the One Ring. He was certain the Fire Spirit knew this.  
As if reading his thoughts, the spirit laughed again. 'Of courssssse,' said he in such a tone that made the surrounding trees shudder in the still air, sending a gentle shower of leaves to the ground, 'Old Bilbo's tale, I pressssume.'  
Merry and Pippin looked on, amazed, but for Fangorn nothing existed at that moment but he and the essence of flame. 'I know of the riddle game, Spirit,' boomed Fangorn in an icy tone, 'how came you to hear of such a game?'  
The spirit twisted strands of flame upwards, letting out a tremendous cloud of smoke. 'Perhaps there will come a time for such tales later, wise one,' it mocked, 'but now I challenge you to a game. If I lose, I will leave this forest, never to return but on request. However, if I win.' The spirit let the threat hang, but Pippin once again didn't understand.  
'What? What happens if you win?' Pippin trembled a little and the spirit looked frustrated at having to explain his wicked plans.  
'Foolish child!' he roared, 'I will engulf this forest with my fingers of flame and claim it as my own! My destruction of this place will become infamous!' The spirit laughed evily as the hobbits shuddered. Pippin turned to Merry, grasping his sleeve in fear. ' Oh dear,' he whispered, 'that's not good at all!'  
Fangorn did not look fazed. He was devising a plan; a riddle that would be impossible for the spirit to answer. Still, he needed something to begin with. 'As you wish, spirit. I will proceed to ask my riddle of you as the challenged is always the first to ask a riddle. My question to you, spirit, is this:  
  
Alive without breath,  
  
As cold as death;  
Never thirsty, ever drinking,  
All in mail, never clinking.'  
  
The flames of the spirit's body flared again as rasping laughter filled the air. 'You think because I am a keeper of fire that I do not understand creatures of other elements? 'Tis true I have never seen with mine own eyes what your riddle speaks of, but I know that is a question which nearly stumped that tiny fool, Bilbo, when he was asked by that loathsome creature of madness. I know also the answer to such a riddle. The answer is fish.'  
Merry and Pippin looked disappointed, but Fangorn had expected a correct answer. It seemed this spirit knew most of the details of Bilbo and Gollum's meeting, however there was one key point he seemed to have missed, and Fangorn intended to use it in his next riddle. Firstly, however, he had to correctly guess the spirit's riddle. 'Correct you are, Spirit. Now ask your riddle of me.'  
The spirit wavered in the air, then snaked closer to Fangorn.  
  
'I speak with another's voice  
  
Falling from a giant mountain  
  
Given flight by an army of metal men  
Cursed to curse'  
  
The riddle confused Fangorn momentarily, and he thought to himself that the spirit must have made it up on the spot. But Fangorn had played too large a part in the War of the Ring to not find the answer quickly. 'You speak of the One Ring, Spirit. The ring cursed by Sauron, hanging on a chain around the neck of the ring-bearer.'  
The spirit hissed and shrunk a little, not expecting such a rapid response. Merry and Pippin, hiding now between the branches of Fangorn's massive bulk, cheered to themselves. The sooner this Fire Spirit left them, the better.  
'Right you are, Ent. Now ask your riddle. I grow tired of this game.'  
Fangorn held up a massive, seven-fingered branch hand. 'Now now, don't be hasty. I have my riddle for you.' He cleared his throat; a deep rumbling that shook the forest floor slightly.  
  
'Peaceful as a dove  
  
Mocked from high above  
  
Neglected, rejected,  
Hidden from view  
Yet happy and content'  
  
Merry and Pippin winced, for the answer to the riddle seemed so easy to them. However Fangorn had noticed something about the Spirit's reactions to Merry and Pippin. His thoughts were confirmed by the blank look clouded with smoke. The spirit was unsure of the answer, and was beginning to realise that he had been defeated. Tendrils of flame slid upwards and outwards, tickling the air with acrid fumes; smoke clouded the clearing as the Spirit's anger emerged. 'No! You cannot ask me such a question!' It spluttered, gasping in it's own fury.  
'The riddle has been presented, and by the rules you must now answer. If you fail to respond, or give the wrong response, you must leave this forest, never to return, unless by request. Now answer, Spirit.' Fangorn sensed his victory approaching, and so put a little more haste into his words. It had the desired effect.  
'No! The answer is. is.' The spirit was choking now, looking around him in search of the answer. Suddenly, his flickering eyes caught sight of Merry and Pippin. 'Aha!' he proclaimed, 'I see your attempt to trick me. I am not so easily undone, Ent. The answer to your riddle is a child.'  
The Fire Spirit looked satisfied at his cleverness, however Fangorn and his companions were overjoyed. 'That answer, Spirit, is incorrect. The answer to my riddle was Hobbit.'  
The spirit's glee turned ashen, and smoke billowed again as his anger arose. 'What is this jest? There is no such thing as a hobbit!'  
Merry and Pippin climbed from Fangorn's body and stood proudly in front of the Spirit. 'Actually, Mr. Weaver of Smoke; flame juggler. spirit. thing.' Pippin stuttered, and Merry finished his sentence. 'We're hobbits!' cried Merry.  
The Fire Spirit looked, shocked, at these creatures he had believed to be children. Understanding his defeat, he grew into a tremendous roar of fire and heat, sending columns of smoke high into the air. Then, with a scream of anguish, the spirit's fiery mass disappeared, becoming a small campfire once again.  
Merry and Pippin looked admiringly at their Ent friend.  
'You know what, Treebeard?' Said Pippin, patting a branch proudly, 'you're pretty good with these games. Perhaps you'd like a challenge?'  
Merry laughed, and Fangorn shook his awesome head slightly.  
'Now young Master Peregrin,' drawled Fangorn, 'Let's not be too hasty.' They laughed together; three companions once again sharing a life- changing experience, and their laughter rang out through the forest of the Ents for many days to come. 


End file.
